Newspaper Article 1966 – Fantasyland may become Disneyland of NZ

‘Fantasyland may become Disneyland of NZ’

Hastings’ Fantasyland could well become the Disneyland of New Zealand in its popularity, the American Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr. Herbert B. Powell, said when officially opening the Crest-Birds Eye family festival at the factory today.

The festival, being held to raise funds for the building of the Camelot Castle bridge at Windsor Park, had attracted about 2000 people by 2.00 and the castle bridge committee thought the final attendance would be in the region of 5000.

Mr Powell said Hastings had many things to commend it, but if he was asked to pick out what he thought were its two outstanding assets he would choose its great attractiveness and the friendliness of it people.

He was very impressed to learn the details of the project and thought that all who were working toward its establishment deserved the heartiest congratulations.

No one deserved these more than the bridge committee which had conceived the idea of the castle and the members of which had worked like Trojans to raise funds.

He understood that before the day was finished it was hoped to have raised £4000 needed to build the castle.

To raise this amount of money in a matter of months was certainly a great effort.

“I am sure some of our politicians in the United States would welcome you on some of their fund-raising committees,” said Mr Powell.

He hoped the total of £4000 was not only reached today, but passed by a handsome margin.

Mr. Powell donated his neck tie to the neck tie bar at the fair and bought a new one.

“I think this will be the first occasion in my life when I have left home wearing one neck tie and returned home wearing a completely different one,” he said.

“You will be interested to know that for every child that visits Disneyland there are four adults who do likewise,” he said.

Two of the features that appealed to him about the Fantasyland project were the decision to let different organisations sponsor major attractions and to keep adding new projects.

It gave the community a greater stake in the project than if it were financed entirely by the city council.

In time the project could become a major overseas tourist attraction and earner of overseas exchange.

Mr. Powell showed keen interest in the Fantasyland project at Windsor Park when it was shown to him this morning.

The Ambassador had previously attended morning tea in the council chambers, where he was welcomed by the mayor, Mr. R. V. Giorgi, and civic dignitaries and representatives of various Hastings organisations.

Mr. Powell apologised for the absence of Mrs. Powell.

He said he had been looking forward to the visit for some time.

He congratulated Hastings and district on its progress and said that it had a vitality which augured of great things to come.

Welcoming the Ambassador, Mr. Giorgi said the integration of the Maori and pakeha was envied throughout the world.

When the Ambassador arrived at Windsor Park, he was heard to comment: “How do you keep your grass so green?”

A model of the Fantasyland project and the Camelot castle aroused his interest.

Details were explained to him by the president of Greater Hastings, Mr. H. B. Poppelwell, and the designer, Mr. W. N. McLoughlan.

He appeared very impressed as he viewed the site and commented: “You have at least one engineer who doesn’t have to pull out trees before he starts work.”

Mr. Powell spent about three-quarters of an hour at the park before leaving for lunch.

Photo caption – The United States Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr. Herbert Powell (second from left) being shown over Fantasyland at Windsor Park, this morning. With him are the Mayor of Hastings, Mr. R. V. Giorgi (left), and the president of Greater Hastings, Mr. H. B. Poppelwell.